1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a non-aqueous ink composition for an ink jet.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, a recording apparatus employing an ink jet system is widely employed in homes, offices and for industrial purposes. An aqueous, non-aqueous or UV ink is used depending on the purpose in the recording apparatus of the ink jet system. Among these inks, an aqueous ink is cheap and safe and, thus, is widely used for various purposes. However, when used for printing at a high printing rate, the aqueous ink is defective in that the drying rate is low. In addition, when the aqueous ink is used for printing on an ordinary paper sheet (PPC paper sheet), there is generated a so-called cockling, i.e., the phenomenon that the paper sheet is cockled after the ink is dried. The UV ink is cured promptly, if irradiated with a UV light and, thus, is adapted for printing on a non-absorption medium or for high-speed printing. However, printing with a UV ink necessitates a large ultraviolet light irradiating apparatus requiring large power consumption.
On the other hand, where a non-aqueous ink is used for the printing on an ordinary paper sheet, the non-aqueous ink permeates into the inner region of the recording paper sheet in a short time, when the ink droplet discharged from the ink jet head strikes the recording paper sheet. As a result, high-speed printing can be performed without requiring a special mechanism so as to make it possible to obtain a satisfactory printed image while preventing the cockling phenomenon.